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Frankford woman dies in three-vehicle crash on Route 17

A 79-year-old Frankford woman was killed and a 78-year-old Frankford man seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash on June 18, on Route 17 (Roxana Road), north of Burbage Road.

According to the Delaware State Police, a 52-year-old Frankford woman was driving southbound in a Ford Explorer about 8:45 a.m., while Frankford residents Franklin and Hilda Bunting were parked illegally on the southbound shoulder of Roxana Road, facing north, in a Chevy Corsica.

Police said Franklin Bunting attempted to cross the southbound lane of the road from the shoulder, in order to head north on the road, but the Ford and Corsica struck each other in the southbound lane. The Corsica then struck an unoccupied Dodge Ram that was legally parked on the southbound shoulder, they said.

Hilda Bunting, 79, who was a passenger in the Corsica, was pronounced dead on the scene. Franklin Bunting, the driver, was airlifted to Christiana Medical Center in Newark, Del., to be treated for serious injuries he sustained during the crash. The other driver was driven to Beebe Medical Center to be treated for injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening.

According to the DSP, all parties were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. Their investigation was in its initial stages this week.

DSP Cpl. Bruce Harris urged drivers to be defensive every time they drive.

“In today’s time, there’s a lot more drivers on the road. You have to be a lot more cognizant of your surroundings,” he said. “Always have in mind, in case, say, a deer runs out in front of you or a car pulls in front of you. Always think two or three steps ahead of what could happen. That way, it could help you from being involved in a serious crash.”

He also noted, that especially on rural roadways, as well as construction zones, drivers should make an effort to slow down to ensure for their safety and the safety of others.

“I think what I see, mostly, is the citizens need to slow down because you don’t know if somebody is going to step out into traffic,” said Harris. “You don’t know if a vehicle is going to suddenly pull out in front of you. Even though the speed limit may say 35, you may want to slow down to 10. I think that may help your reaction time. If you’re going at a slower speed, you’re going to have more time to react if something suddenly happens in front of you.”

Roads in the area of the crash were closed for about four hours while police investigated the scene.

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